In a similar vein, the USA has spent oodles of money developing heat resistant tiles for the heat shields on it's re-entry vehicles. The Chinese have just used wood - oak to be exact!
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In a similar vein, the USA has spent oodles of money developing heat resistant tiles for the heat shields on it's re-entry vehicles. The Chinese have just used wood - oak to be exact!
Can we get a fact check on that, also on chocolate teapots and motorbike ashtrays?
Space oddities | New Scientist
Plenty of other references, including wiki.
DL
The Chinese were also trying to develop a space shuttle, but were having trouble testing the cockpit windows as it is very difficult and dangerous to fly it through a flock of geese, so they rang up NASA and asked how to do it. The tech said the easiest thing to do is, go to the local supermarket and get some chickens which are similar in size and weight to geese anyway and fire them out a cannon at the window they are testing. After years of testing the Chinese just couldn't make glass strong enough so they rang up the NASA tech again for advice, who said they should first defrost the chickens!
Why do women make good archeologists?
Because they love digging up the past.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bob10
Yep, if it is funny it is funny, just like Eevos #5314. Most jokes are off beat anyway that is why they are called Jokes, & facts don't come into it..
I started by acknowledging that the space pencil story is a good joke.
I can still laugh at it even though I have known for years that it isn't factual.
I probably wouldn't have bothered to comment if it weren't for the fact that I have come across quite a few people who believe the story is true.
Have I spoiled anyone's amusement by explaining that the story, while a good joke, is actually an urban myth? Are you suggesting that you can't laugh at it now that you know the truth?
what makes it so funny is...Quote:
Originally Posted by vnx205
knowing or not knowing the truth is irrelevant..
It sounds like it could easily be true...
Whilst on the subject of space...
IASA, the Irish space agency, announced it was going to send a mission to the sun. When it was pointed out that the rocket would be burnt up before it got there a spokeswoman said "We've already thought of that, we're sending it at night."
The small print:
If you're from the emerald isle and lack a sense of humour, feel free to replace Irish with the nationality of your choice.
I'm pretty certain that the receptionist at the motel was checking me out.